The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking experts to serve as members of the Product Development for Vaccines Advisory Committee (PDVAC). This “Call for experts” provides information about the advisory group in question, the expert profiles being sought, the process to express interest, and the process of selection.
Background
Established in 2014, PDVAC is an independent standing WHO committee of experts which provides external advice to WHO related to priority infectious disease pathogens, associated vaccine and monoclonal antibody approaches and related manufacturing and delivery technologies. The committee’s remit covers disease areas where there is, or may be, substantial disease burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where no vaccine related products currently exist but where there is ongoing product development activity which may benefit from WHO guidance, or technologies that could expedite availability and access of vaccine products in LMICs. PDVAC may also have a role where vaccines are already licensed, and development of improved products, including those based on novel manufacturing technologies or innovative vaccine delivery approaches is a priority for WHO and its member states.
PDVAC also provides, as called upon by WHO, a standing forum of external subject matter experts for conducting evaluations and recommendations within the scope described above. PDVAC also provides, in the context of the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), and specifically strategic priority area 7 on Research and Innovation, reviews of the outputs, workplans, and reports from the SP7 working group (WG) consultations on defining country and regional priorities. It works closely with the SP7 WG to develop an integrated strategy on research and development priorities and targets for R&D in immunization, across all three levels (country, regional, global).
PDVAC is briefed on WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on immunization (SAGE) recommendations within the product development, and provides updates/support to SAGE as needed. PDVAC may also provide input to WHO, when requested, into vaccines and biologicals, their associated technologies and related activities that fall outside of its primary scope (for example in support of the WHO Research and Development Blueprint to prevent pandemics).
Functions of PDVAC
- Assess and offer guidance to WHO on optimal methodologies and strategic approaches to determine the full value for vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and related (manufacturing or delivery) technologies, in the context of other disease interventions and competing R&D priorities (including the development of products that are targeted solely to high-income country markets but that may offer benefit in LMIC contexts);
- Advise WHO on the global public health priority pathogens, based on full value of vaccine assessments developed in partnership with immunization stakeholders at the country and regional levels, and activities that are needed to advance development and access of vaccines and related products in LMICs;
- Review, assist in development, and make recommendations to WHO on preferred product characteristics (PPCs) for a class of potential vaccines, specifically from the perspective of LMICs, with the goal of informing target product profiles to accelerate product development and reduce the timeframe to access of vaccines in LMIC contexts;
- Review, assist in development, and make recommendations to WHO on technical R&D roadmaps for vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and related technologies that articulate the research, product development, and capacity needs, and proactively optimally position a candidate for successful LMIC licensure and a positive policy recommendation;
- Review, assist in development, and make recommendations to WHO on Evidence Considerations for Vaccine Policy, related to vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, prior to phase III efficacy studies to guide evidence that would be helpful to collect pre-licensure and align on expectations for licensure and policy assessment;
- Develop and propose to WHO criteria for selection of target vaccine manufacturing technologies that may be suitable for technology transfer to regional manufacturing hubs, and for selection of technology hubs and technology recipients; to provide independent assessment of the landscape of target manufacturing technologies for potential technology transfer and to synthesize recommendations of potential manufacturers in accordance with criteria;
- Horizon scanning to i) identify pathogen areas where vaccines do not currently exist, or are sub-optimal and new products are urgently needed, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and to monitor the evolving vaccine candidate pipeline; and ii) identify novel platforms and technologies which could contribute to improved manufacturing processes, improved immunological responses, and/or easier vaccine delivery;
- Advise WHO on building consensus among global stakeholders, particularly with respect to product development strategy, including clinical endpoints and regulatory pathways;
- Highlight access and/or introduction issues or gaps that might occur during vaccine approval and uptake in LMICs, that should be considered and potentially addressed during early product development.
Operations of PDVAC
PDVAC normally meets, in person, at least once each year for up to 5 days. However, WHO may convene additional meetings. PDVAC meetings may be held in person (at WHO headquarters in Geneva or another location, as determined by WHO) or virtually, via video or teleconference.
PDVAC meetings may be held in open and/or closed session, as decided by the Chairperson in consultation with WHO.
Who can express interest?
PDVAC is multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant in vaccines and biologicals development and infectious diseases. Up to seven new members may be selected in this round.
WHO welcomes expressions of interest from scientists, public health professionals, pediatricians, and regulators with expertise the following areas:
- Infectious diseases, particularly TB, malaria, ESKAPE pathogens, GAS, GBS, STIs, NTDs and enteric and diarrheal diseases.
- Former vaccine or biotherapeutic product development in industry.
- Epidemiology and burden of disease modelling.
- Vaccine impact modelling.
- Vaccine policy expertise.
- Immunization programmatic expertise.
- Clinical trial design and biostatistics.
- Knowledge of product development for novel vaccine delivery devices.
- Expertise in vaccine platforms
Submitting your expression of interest
To register your interest in being considered for PDVAC, please submit the following documents by 24:00h (midnight) Geneva time on 28 February 2025 to sparrowe@who.int using the subject line “Expression of interest for PDVAC”
- A cover letter, indicating your motivation to apply and how you satisfy the selection criteria. Please note that, if selected, membership will be in a personal capacity. Therefore do not use the letterhead or other identification of your employer;
- Your curriculum vitae; and
- A signed and completed Declaration of Interests (DOI) form for WHO Experts, available at https://www.who.int/about/ethics/declarations-of-interest.
After submission, your expression of interest will be reviewed by WHO. Due to an expected high volume of interest, only selected individuals will be informed.
Important information about the selection processes and conditions of appointment
Members of WHO advisory groups (AGs) must be free of any real, potential or apparent conflicts of interest. To this end, applicants are required to complete the WHO Declaration of Interests for WHO Experts, and the selection as a member of an AG is, amongst other things, dependent on WHO determining that there is no conflict of interest or that any identified conflicts could be appropriately managed (in addition to WHO’s evaluation of an applicant’s experience, expertise and motivation and other criteria).
All AG members will serve in their individual expert capacity and shall not represent any governments, any commercial industries or entities, any research, academic or civil society organizations, or any other bodies, entities, institutions, or organizations. They are expected to fully comply with the Code of Conduct for WHO Experts (https://www.who.int/about/ethics/declarations-of-interest). AG members will be expected to sign and return a completed confidentiality undertaking prior to the beginning of the first meeting.
At any point during the selection process, telephone interviews may be scheduled between an applicant and the WHO Secretariat to enable WHO to ask questions relating to the applicant’s experience and expertise and/or to assess whether the applicant meets the criteria for membership in the relevant AG.
The selection of members of the AGs will be made by WHO in its sole discretion, taking into account the following (non-exclusive) criteria: relevant technical expertise; experience in international and country policy work; communication skills; and ability to work constructively with people from different cultural backgrounds and orientations. The selection of AG members will also take account of the need for diverse perspectives from different regions, especially from low and middle-income countries, and for gender balance.
If selected by WHO, proposed members will be sent an invitation letter and a Memorandum of Agreement. Appointment as a member of an AG will be subject to the proposed member returning to WHO the countersigned copy of these two documents.
WHO reserves the right to accept or reject any expression of interest, to annul the open call process and reject all expressions of interest at any time without incurring any liability to the affected applicant or applicants and without any obligation to inform the affected applicant or applicants of the grounds for WHO's action. WHO may also decide, at any time, not to proceed with the establishment of the AG, disband an existing TAG or modify the work of the AG.
WHO shall not in any way be obliged to reveal, or discuss with any applicant, how an expression of interest was assessed, or to provide any other information relating to the evaluation/selection process or to state the reasons for not choosing a member.
WHO may publish the names and a short biography of the selected individuals on the WHO internet.
AG members will not be remunerated for their services in relation to the AG or otherwise. Travel and accommodation expenses of AG members to participate in AG meetings will be covered by WHO in accordance with its applicable policies, rules and procedures.
The appointment will be limited in time as indicated in the letter of appointment.
If you have any questions about this “Call for experts”, please write to sparrowe@who.int well before the applicable deadline.